This past weekend, Families Free clients and their children enjoyed a day of fun at Doe River Gorge. Residents from the Storie House, Family Service Grant participants, and their children represented eighteen families that had the opportunity to join members of our staff in experiencing the camp’s Day Quest activities.
Set against the beautiful backdrop of the Cherokee National Forest, the day was filled with swimming, taking turns on the zipline, and additional water activities in the Recreation Lake, as well as treats from the Sidetrack Café and train rides across the grounds. As a group, we then joined together for a shared meal at The Depot.
“The wind through our hair as we rode past the trees.”
“Our first time in the water all summer.”
“Laughing around the table during our meal.”
These are the lasting memories made that day at Doe River Gorge.
Now more than ever, events like this not only foster healthy family living skills, they also provide a cherished opportunity for clients and their loved ones to relax and enjoy time spent together. #LoveRestores
Family is where love and strength reside, and fostering those tenets is a large part of our work here at Families Free. That’s why we are excited to integrate the Celebrating Families! program into our services.
On January 30th, we held our first Celebrating Families! meeting where participants embarked on a 16-week education program designed to work with every member of the family to strengthen recovery from alcohol and drugs, break the cycle of addiction, and increase successful family reunification.
“It’s better to light a candle than to curse the darkness …”
On Tuesday, November 26th, Chris and Kristin were honored by members of the Families Free and First Judicial District Felony Recovery Court teams during our second annual Recovery Court Graduation. Along with current program participants, family, and friends, we all gathered together to celebrate their hard work and success.
The First Judicial District Felony Recovery Court provides alternatives to jail time, such as counseling, curriculum, and access to several opportunities that are designed to support their sobriety. It’s an important tool for those who need help staying out of the cycle of jail time, being released, and then returning.
Through this opportunity, both Kristin and Chris completed the five phases of the program and met personal goals along the way. Kristin maintained two jobs during her time in our program, bought a vehicle, has been sober since July of 2018, and she’s investing in her future by attending classes at Northeast State.
Chris has been sober since October of 2017, completed the Morgan County Residential Recovery Court, had his license reinstated, and he continues to support his success through our program by securing safe and sober housing. Both graduates have displayed perseverance in achieving goal after goal, and in combination with their hard work, the accomplishment of completing the Recovery Court program serves as an inspiration to not only their fellow participants but also every person they meet.
Judge Lisa RiceGraduates Kristin Nelms and Chris HagyJoshua Rice shares a poem he had written honoring a friend he had lost due to a substance abuse disorderRachel Roden – Felony Recovery Court CoordinatorGraduate Chris Hagy with Judge Stacy StreetGraduate Kristin Nelms and Judge Lisa RiceJason Abernathy and Brian Bowman (who performed at the graduation), Judge Lisa Rice, Families Free Executive Director Lisa Tipton, and Clinical Director Robin Ledford
The FJDFRC team and participants invited community members to join us in lighting a candle to join in the work we are doing in the area.
We want to once again congratulate our 2019 graduates, and our team looks forward to seeing how Chris and Kristin continue to bring about positive change not only for themselves but for our community as well. #LoveRestores
We want to extend a special thank you to Judge Stacy Street, Judge Lisa Rice, Joshua Rice, Jason Abernathy, and Brian Bowman for speaking and performing during the graduation ceremony. We also want to thank the other members of the FJDFRC team which include additional recovery agencies, judges, law enforcement members, district attorneys, and public defenders who work to ensure the success of the participants.
The First Judicial Recovery Court program is funded under a grant contract with the State of Tennessee, Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.
What a difference a year makes …as we gathered together once more for our annual fundraiser at Chateau Selah, the beautiful rolling hills that serve as the venue’s backdrop mirrored the awe-inspiring changes we’ve seen take place in 2019.
Families Free feels so blessed to see the difference this year has made in the lives of those we serve. We have walked alongside so many women, children, and families through our programs, and we were excited to share the impact each program has made with our honored guests.
Fundraiser attendees had the opportunity to engage in three different program experiences, where they could learn more from our respective directors how Families Free programs offer services that not only impact the lives of clients but also our community as a whole. Because our programs are interconnected, vulnerable populations in our area have access to care that supports healing and transformation throughout every aspect of their lives.
These program stations were nestled among a carefully curated event designed by sponsor Reclaimed Inspired Goods. Our emcee for the night, Kevin Wilson, helped kick off the festivities by introducing our Executive Director Lisa Tipton. Lisa shared with our guests an additional overview of our services and the details of the latest addition to our programs: The Storie House.
Our guests then enjoyed a delicious meal provided by Divine Catering Company and desserts from Bellafina Chocolates and New Maven Macs. Next, we all had the pleasure of hearing the musical talents of Barry Bales and Ronnie & Garnett Bowman before hearing stories of hope from three of our clients: Amanda, Layla, and Tiffany. With courage and vulnerability, they shared their individual experiences and detailed working with Families Free helped them change their lives.
Tabitha Sells then shared the story of her community-focused social enterprise: New Maven Macs. New Maven Macs was established for the sole purpose of being a network of healing, hope, and opportunity. Alongside Bellafina Chocolates and our team at Families Free, women in recovery have a trusting and supportive point of re-entry into the workforce.
Because of the aid and encouragement of our community, we continue to expand our outreach and in turn, impact the lives of those in need of hope, love, and restoration. With donations and pledges from our fundraiser, we have reached almost $85K and plan to open our next private residence this fall. Through faith and hard work, we look forward to so much more to come … #LoveRestores
Thank you to our business sponsors BBT, BBT Wealth, and McGriff Insurance Services, Chateau Selah, Bales Farms, Reclaimed Inspired Goods, and Universal Wines & Spirits for supporting this event.
At The Storie House, lives will be changed … The Storie House serves to create an environment where love can restore. Our vision for the home is that it will provide every woman the opportunity to achieve the fresh start she desires. The Storie House is a private residence that can support and nurture five women from our program and up to four children, as well as provide a safe, sober place to live and integrate new life skills. This new addition will be overseen by Judy Clark, our Director of Women’s Services. The home’s namesake comes from our Board Member Nancy Storie and is inspired by her generosity and dedication to the women in our program.
“Public safety extends beyond party lines and has the best interest of every Tennessean in mind,” said Gov. Bill Lee.
According to The Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS), Governor Bill Lee’s FY20 budget proposal includes $4.7 million to increase access to recovery courts, supplement recovery court programming with Medication Assisted Treatment, and create a new residential recovery court for women. With $1.7 million in additional funding, recovery courts will expand capacity by 20 percent and serve an additional 500 Tennesseans each year.
On December 20, 2018, Families Free Executive Director Lisa Tipton, Clinical Director Robin Ledford, and our Director of Women’s Services Judy Clark visited with the inmates at the Johnson City Detention Center to hand-deliver Christmas care packages. With the help of Jail Administrator Amy Clark and correctional officers, we were able to provide a bag filled with toiletries, a snack cake, and a devotional for each inmate.
Tradition: a noun meaning to “hand down statements, beliefs, information, etc. from generation to generation, especially by word of mouth or by practice.”
Traditions are so important to not only families but individuals as well, especially during the holiday season. For some of our clients, establishing new Christmas traditions that support their recovery feels like starting from scratch. However, just like our Executive Director Lisa Tipton said – “It just takes one person to start a tradition …”
We were honored to co-sponsor Northeast Tennessee Council On Children and Youth’s Legislative Brunch this past Friday, November 30th. State agencies, local non-profits, legislators, and many more gathered to discuss how we can continue to work together to ensure children in East Tennessee are safe, healthy, educated, nurtured and provided with opportunities that help them achieve their full potential.
If your family, church, or business is looking to give back this holiday season, we have two different ways for you to connect with families in need. Our Target registry is comprised of items that will help make this holiday season special for the families we serve. Your kindness will ensure that local children receive gifts and necessities wrapped with care by their parents, who have done the hard work of transforming themselves and their families, during our annual Client Christmas Party.
